Reading Climate Data

Global Temperature and Carbon Dioxide

In this dual-axis graph please answer the following:

State the units of each axis and describe the meaning of each.
What year did global CO2 concentrations reach 320 ppm?
What was the global average temperature when CO2 concentrations reached 360 ppm?
Describe two additional pieces of information and/or relationships you can infer from this graph.

2. Temperature Anomaly

Define Anomaly.
State the units of each axis and describe the meaning of each.
What was the overall trend in temperature anomaly between 1940 and 1980?
How does this compare with the time periods outside of these dates?
Describe 2 additional pieces of information and relationships you can get from this graph.

3. Extreme weather on the rise

State the units of each axis and describe the meaning of each.
State the trend for occurrences of global floods.
Compare the trends of
Describe 2 additional pieces of information and relationships you can get from this graph.

4. Solar Cycles

Q's to answer:

Describe the three axis of the graph and explain the meaning of each axis' units of measurement.
Between 1955 and 1965, determine the change in TSI.
1. How does this compare with the changes in temperature?
Prior to 1940, describe the relationship between the TSI and Temperature.
Since the early 1980s, describe the relationship between the TSI and Temperature.
1. How could you use data to support your claim?

Scientists use a metric called Total Solar Irradiance (TSI) to measure the changes in energy the Earth receives from the Sun. TSI incorporates the 11-year solar cycle and solar flares/storms from the Sun's surface.

5. Global Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Gas

How many millions of metric tons (mmt) of Methane were emitted in 2015?

Approximately how many mmt more of carbon dioxide was emitted in 2015 than in 2010?

Which GHG has had the largest increase since 1990?

What is your main takeaway from this graph?

6. Temperature and Sea Levels

Describe the relationship between sea temperature and seal level using evidence from the graph.
In graph 4: Solar Cycles, there was a lag time between the maximum solar cycle and temperature on Earth.
1. Compare the two graphs regarding lag time.
2. Suggest a reason for the differences in the two graphs.
Which of the following graphs would represent the relationship between the temperature and sea level? Explain.

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